A Traitor's Gamble Cost Blood
by Cowgal Edge
Summary: Roxas is at war with the world. His relationship with his family is complicated and his relationships with his friends are healing. Roxas has secrets that he cannot admit to himself, but the new kid has secrets too, and his are deadly.
1. Scene One

_A/n: It has been a while since I've posted anything, but I got an idea that refused to leave me alone until I wrote it. _

**A Traitor's Gamble Cost Blood**

_Summary: Roxas is at war with the world. His relationship with his family is complicated and his relationships with his friends are healing. Roxas has secrets that he cannot admit to himself, but the new kid has secrets too, and his are deadly._

* * *

**Prologue:**

Generally, we all know what to expect in a movie or a book when it comes to a plot centering on the arrival of a new kid. Their appearance usually sets into motion a chain of events that lead the main character into a realization not only about the world but about their own character. For better or for worse the new kid is a catalyst to a new adventure. Every mysterious new kid seems to shake the world for the preexisting nobodies, and Sora was no different.

* * *

**Scene One:**

If only to himself, Roxas had to admit she was beautiful. Not only in that eye-popping physical way but deep down to her very soul. She had great knockers (if one was into that sort of thing) and was adverse to wearing bras even when going out for a morning jog. Her body was fit and she ate healthy, she got his dad to eat healthy too. She brought his dad back to life by giving him a purpose again.

Perhaps that was part of the problem. He couldn't find a fault to pin on her. She did everything right, said all the correct things, played the perfect part.

Roxas could tell that she would make somebody a great mom. He just didn't need her to be his.

"So, after your struggle match today I thought we could all go out and get something to eat," his father said.

The spoon that was heading towards Roxas' mouth stilled and he looked up from his cereal bowl to stare at the business section of the newspaper that his father's head was hidden behind. He could see the spiky tips of his father's blond hair sticking out above the paper, the casual way in which his father's left ankle was propped against his right knee, and a hand gripping the handle of the SHINRA coffee mug (whose contents were more cream than coffee), but Roxas would have given a finger or maybe just his favorite t-shirt to see the look on his father's face.

Roxas dropped his spoon back into his cereal bowl, and his father's newspaper rustled after the sound of the clatter.

"She's coming to the match," Roxas groaned and tried not to picture having to introduce his dad's girlfriend to all his drooling friends.

"She wants to get to know you better, Roxas."

"I'll give her my resume."

"Roxas," Dad says his name more like a sigh than an actual word.

"Dad, this match is important to me. I don't want any unnecessary distractions."

Roxas' father lowers the newspaper just below his eyes and Roxas gets a good look at the vulnerability in their depths when his father says, "This is important to me."

It happened again. Roxas was once more the bad guy, the one who couldn't do anything right. Better stuff a sock in his mouth right now before he kicks his own legs out beneath him.

"Do what you want, you will anyway." Roxas can't look his father in the eyes when he says this, and he nabs his half eaten bowl of cereal and deposits it by the sink, and then slinks out of the house before he can catch wind of his father's response.

Realization hits right when he slams the front door behind him. He forgot to grab his book bag and his struggle equipment. Fuck the book bag, Roxas thinks, but he can't write off his struggle equipment due to the match after school.

Not willing to go back in and face his dad, Roxas continues walking away from his house. His father usually leaves for work in about fifteen minutes and if he waits to get his stuff after his father leaves he will be late for school, but it wouldn't be the first time.

* * *

It is no surprise to Roxas when he finds himself in front of the sport's supply store. The lights are on and a red stick shift car is parked around back. Despite how close the store is to his house he has never been inside. His father always takes him to the chain store about twenty minutes out of town.

His first step inside the store sets off a perky little beep. The employee behind the counter looks up from a magazine he was flipping through and gives Roxas a toothy smile.

"Welcome, can I help you with anything?" the young man asks.

The first thing that Roxas notices about this man is his sharp, unnaturally red hair. The color and the funky way in which it is styled suggest that he is one who wants to standout within a crowd. The next thing that Roxas notices about him is that the magazine that he is looking at is opened to a page of a fit man holding a struggle bat at an erect angle and who is very, very naked.

"See anything you like?" The employee asks in an open voice and Roxas can't help feel that it is also extremely suggestive.

Roxas' face inflames, and he knows that it probably is the shade of the employee's hair. In second grade Roxas had once kissed the lips of a classmate on a dare, in middle school he had held hands with and texted during classes and after practices with four different girls, as a freshman in high school he had made out with his first girlfriend and fondled her boobs and now as a senior he had two ex-girlfriends and a handful of awkward sexual experiences. But nothing, nothing in his past could amount to the way the heat flooded his entire body at those words and the centerfold of the oh so naked struggle player in the magazine which was laying wide open(for everybody to see, for _him_ to see) with absolutely no shame on the counter of a sports supply store.

There must have been a significant silence in which Roxas did not answer the man's question or maybe it was the red tomato color of his face that clued the employee in.

The young man took one look at Roxas and one look at what Roxas was staring at and his mouth opened into a little round, "oh."

With an unabashed chuckle, the employee flipped the magazine closed and slipped it under the counter. "Heh, showed you something you weren't quite ready for. Sorry about that."

Roxas felt his mouth moving but no sound was coming out. When he finally choked up a few words he wished that he had kept his mouth shut. "I-I was just looking."

"Well, isn't that obvious," the man said and cracked a smile which appeared to be just a little apologetic. "There is a sale going on today on struggle equipment. You look like a player. Would you like to take a look at our struggle bats?"

With those words Roxas's mind immediately flashes up the picture in the magazine. _Get a hold of yourself, Roxas. Say something, say anything to end this!_

"Sure, why not," Roxas finds himself saying, and time miraculously starts moving again as he follows the employee to a wall lined with struggle bats.

Roxas can't help but smile as he picks up a bat off the rack.

"Good eye," the employee tells him. "There are many different companies that make struggle equipment but Dream is the best."

"I have a mere Memory at home, but I have always wanted a Dream."

"My school team really lucked out because we are one of the few that Dream sponsor."

"You play? What team?" Roxas asks the man responsible for driving his mind to all sorts of places.

"Yeah, Radiant Garden."

"Really? I hear your team is doing pretty good this year. Star player won nine of ten matches. Who was it? Gah, I forget…no wait something like a wheel…Axel! Axel Rex. Yeah, Axel Rex. Tell him he better watch out because when I get accepted to Radiant Garden University I plan on taking that top spot."

"Really now? You know they only accept the best of the best on the team."

"Then my spot is already reserved," Roxas tells him. It is at this time that Roxas looks at the digital clock on the wall and sees that he has stayed way past his due. Not only will he be late, but he will miss his first class. "I should get going."

"Stop by anytime. It will either be me or the canker sore who owns this place," the employee tells him as Roxas strides toward the door.

"You should come watch us play sometime," Roxas finds himself saying. "I'm Roxas by the way."

"I think I might have to. I gotta get started on defending my spot on the team if you're as good as you say you are. Oh, and the names Axel. Axel Rex commit it to memory."

* * *

The school grounds are empty of their usual hustle and bustle, and Roxas almost feels like some sort of interloper as he sneaks past the open classroom windows and around to the gym's entrance. It's a swimming day, so the gymnasium is a dark void of space. Roxas's tennis shoes squeal against the slippery wood floor boards as he creeps through the dark. Every noise he makes seems to echo unnaturally loud and he can't help but cringe at the unavoidable sounds of his footfalls as he heads to the boy's locker rooms.

There is about thirty-five minutes left of Physical Education so he won't be spotted by a million pairs of eyes and the bare chests that go with them. And with that thought Roxas can't help but to think back to the man in the magazine. The image had become a permanent brand in his memories. The well-defined abs, the broadness of his shoulders…oh fuck. Roxas tried to dash away the image with thoughts of soft boobs and the face of the girl who sat next to him in history class. She had offered to study together and had attended his last few struggle matches. Just like Axel planned to do. Axel Rex star of a college struggle team and owner of a totally gay porn magazine.

Roxas manages to silently open the door to the boy's locker room. It is strangely dim inside but Roxas takes that as a good sign as he gently closes the door behind him. The boy's locker room was almost like a maze with little nooks and crannies perfect for those who were a little shy about showing off skinny arms, round bellies, or their lower cheeks. Past the coaches' offices and the shower room, closer to the hallway door rather than the gymnasium door was Roxas' locker. It was located in one such hidden nook along with the rest of the struggle teams'. His first instinct is to check Coach Setzer's and Leonhart's offices and he smirks when he finds them welcomingly empty.

It is then that he hears hushed voices. As Roxas approaches his own locker, he realizes that the voices belong to two different individuals and that they are both male.

"He doesn't remember…"

"That's your job. Only you can make him remember… at the right t-time."

The voice of the second person who spoke seemed rather hitched and breathy especially on the word 'time'. Roxas couldn't put any names to the two speakers and so decided to cautiously approach. If it was that fuckwit, Seifer or any of his goonies then Roxas would be better off backing quickly but stealthy away.

There was a wet popping sound and then the first voice spoke again, "And you'll show me how…hmm. Sounds like you're getting greedy."

"You know how our deal works."

There was a little voice in Roxas's head that told him that he should back out the way he came and not turn the corner to the row of lockers where his was located. He ignored this little voice or perhaps the warning came too late because when Roxas turned that corner he knew that he must have stumbled upon the new boy's little secret.

There crouched down in front of his locker was the new kid giving head to an upper classman. And it was Roxas saw without a doubt his locker that they were pressed so up and close against.

The upper classman bracing his back against Roxas' locker has his eyes closed, mouth parted, and his back arched in pleasure from the strokes of the new kid's tongue. The new kid's head is bobbing up and down and up and…

"Yes, yes…Sora," the upper classman moans.

Roxas remembers now. The new kid's name is Sora, and he has a disarming, rather charming smile. He can't remember what color Sora's eyes are only that they could drown somebody who looked too long in their depths. It has been about a week since Sora started school here and Roxas has barely said two sentences worth of conversation to him, but Roxas knows that he would give anything, anything to be the one wiggling and gasping on a stranger's locker with that mouth wrapped around his dick. He can already start to picture it. Oh, god! He is picturing it!

This realization hits Roxas like a hurricane and he can feel his skin warring against being too hot and too cold. He has to get out of here before they see that they have an audience with no admissions ticket. Roxas takes one step back and as fate would have it, his struggle bat bangs up loudly against the locker he was standing next to.

Sora's eyes shoot open and he looks right at Roxas. His eyes are an ocean blue Roxas notes dumbly. This is fitting however because Roxas is quite sure that he is drowning in them. He knows this because his skin feels wet and clammy.

Neither of them speaks. The new kid's mouth is still full with the other guy's penis and Roxas can't seem to work a word past his lips. It was the upper classman who broke the silence and he was looking at Roxas like he was the hangover somebody forgot to flush down the toilet.

"Piss off!"

* * *

"So, why have you been hauling your struggle equipment around all day?" Olette asks him during history. Her desk is behind Roxas's and so she has to lean over to whisper into his ear.

Mr. Vexen, their teacher was in preacher mode so unlikely to hear their conversation over his long winded explanations, but he was also known for his record of giving detentions. Personally, Roxas always felt that Mr. Vexen was a sad sort of man with his twitchy eye and long pallid face. Roxas figured that Mr. Vexen was the type to sit alone in restaurant booths and live with only a gold fish for company. Despite Roxas's deep sympathy for Mr. Vexen he had been on the receiving end of a good number of those detentions and did not especially want one with the struggle match he had today. However, he was just starting to get back into his friends' good graces after their falling out last year so Roxas felt he owed her some sort of explanation even if it wasn't totally true or true at all.

"I couldn't find my lock." She was not the first to ask him about his struggle equipment which served as a constant reminder to what he witnessed in the boy's locker room, but because she had known Roxas before he knew multiplication she was pretty good at sorting through truths and half-truths. Roxas had prepared a scripted answer for her, but the look he was sure Olette was giving the back of his head showed that she knew he was full of shit.

"Was it Seifer?"

Roxas could say it was Seifer. It was no secret that he and the twat had a rather antagonistic relationship. However Olette would want to know the details but then again she would want to know the details no matter what he said.

He knew that he shouldn't feel embarrassed by what he saw. After all it wasn't like somebody had walked in on him giving head, but the locker room incident (as Roxas had dubbed it) had felt like something private, and Roxas didn't want to be the asshole that told someone else's secret. Besides Sora was in the same history class as him and he might overhear the conversation.

It had taken all of Roxas's iron willpower to not look at Sora as he walked into the classroom right before the bell, found his desk, and greet the other students around him. He had avoided Sora all the way up to this point but it was getting harder not to chance a peak at him when they shared the same history class and he had a perfect view of Sora's back. Roxas didn't want to meet Sora's eyes because he was afraid of what he might find there.

Sora for his part had kept his distance from Roxas and had yet to approach him about the locker room incident.

"Did Seifer try to pick a fight with you?" Olette asked breaking Roxas out of his thoughts.

Roxas was saved from responding to her by the owner of the pair of boobs who sat to his right.

"I'm coming to your match tonight," Namine said. Her body was angled towards him and her breasts were peering into his eyes. It wasn't like Roxas meant to stare at Namine's assets, but her boobs seemed to stare at him. They practically panted like puppies at the neck of her shirt. Roxas didn't find them utterly attractive but he noticed them, because really who could not notice them.

"Going to watch me win?" Roxas replied and felt his ears redden at Olette's stifled laughter behind him. It felt like a shadow had fallen on him. Roxas looked up and noticed his teacher's disapproving face looking down at him.

"I hope Roxas that you could give me your thoughts on the big word big word big word of the keyblade war," his teacher said.

The whole class was staring at him: Olette sitting behind him, Pence with a degree of sympathy, Fuu with an undisguised sneer, Namine with a sheepish smile, Namine's boobs peeking out over her shirt, and Sora with lips that only two hours ago had been kissing some guy's cock. They were all waiting for him to give an answer, and the best that he could do was, "Suck my dick."

And yes he was looking at Sora when he said it, and no he did not mean for that to slip out.

He heard his peers gasp in unison but he did not hear their disbelieving voices or his teacher's sharp reprimand. What he did discern from the upheaval at his comment was that Sora gave him what could be named a mischievous smile and winked.

* * *

Roxas had detention. His teacher had been understanding about his struggle match and had postponed his detention for after school tomorrow, but it still stood that he had detention and Roxas knew that if his dad found out about this he was going to be so pissed. At least he wasn't in detention for fighting with Seifer as was the usual cause but it still sucked. And Roxas was convinced that it was all Sora's fault.

The locker room incident had plagued Roxas all day. He found that the harder he tried to avoid Sora the more that he noticed him: Sora getting a drink at the water fountain (his head bowed and his lips nice and wet), Sora biting the tip of his eraser during history class, Sora, Sora, Sora. The new kid was everywhere.

Luckily, Roxas had yet to see hide or hair of the upper classman that Sora had been with.

Lugging around his equipment all day was a constant reminder of the locker room incident. Roxas had ample time between classes and at lunch to put his struggle equipment away but he could not convince himself to go near his locker. By the time that the last bell of the day had rung Roxas found himself in a foul mood.

He dragged both his equipment and himself into the locker room to get ready for the match. His teammates were in full cheer and their boisterous voices filled the air.

Roxas warily approached his locker and surveyed it. His locker did not bare any visible scars from this morning's encounter but Roxas was unable to bring himself to touch it. So, instead Roxas shoved his crap into an empty school locker and quickly changed into his struggle uniform.

"Something wrong with your locker, Rox?" His friend Hayner said amiably enough but Roxas still had to squash down the paranoia that Hayner might know the real reason behind Roxas' reluctance to use his own locker.

"What? No! I was just trying to minimalize my time around the chicken wuss," Roxas said. Perhaps Seifer was good for something. It was always nice to place the blame on his head.

"Gah, I hear ya. He is on full throttle dick mode today. Would not shut up about…"

Having dodged another bullet, Roxas felt his shoulders relax. Roxas had met Hayner around the same time as he met Olette, but the two didn't really become friends until two years after. Their rivalry had given way to a rather competitive friendship. It wasn't like he didn't trust his friends to keep Sora's secret but opening up that can of worms was more than Roxas was willing to admit.

"Honestly, it is exhausting just listening to the creep talk on and on," Hayner concluded. Roxas was about to reply when something smacked against the side of his head and landed on the bench beside him.

"What the hell?" Roxas sneered as he grabbed the offending item, a box of tissues, and he turned to glare at his assailant.

Of course it was Seifer. His nemesis stood before him with his arms crossed almost casually over his chest and a smile on his face that just asked to eat shit. Seifer was an odd mix of both suck up and criminal. These traits served to make him an utterly nasty individual who could get away with just about anything under the teacher's noses.

"Have some preemptive tissues for your upcoming loss," Seifer tittered.

"Keep the box, Seifer. You'll be crying over my successive wins." Roxas threw the tissue box back at Seifer aiming for his head, but the other easily caught it.

Seifer's smirk grew when he looked over Roxas' shoulder, and Roxas turned around to see coach Setzer giving him a disapproving stare.

"Are we playing nice, boys?" Coach Setzer asked. Roxas could tell that 'boys' meant 'Roxas' with the way that his coach was glaring at him. There was a chorus of "yessirs" and one simpering teacher pet reply from Seifer that aggravated Roxas so much he blocked it from memory.

"Fuck, we are simply practicing our sparring for the upcoming matches," Roxas said before his brain caught up to his mouth and then he flashed his best sheepish smile.

"Roxas, could I talk to you a minute alone?" Coach Setzer motioned for Roxas to follow him into his office and Roxas obliged.

Seifer was hovering by the office door when Coach Setzer shut it. Roxas was not offered a seat but really the place was too cluttered for there to be one available anyway. Coach Setzer crossed his arms and considered Roxas with an unreadable stare.

The silence pressed on enough that Roxas felt bold in asking, "What am I in for, coach?"

"Roxas, you are one of our best players on the team, and I believe that your skill in Struggle will take you far. However, your school record is troubling. You have gotten more detentions in a month than the rest of the struggle team has combined in years. The team will sorely miss you Roxas, but the fact stands that if you are unable to improve your behavior by watching that mouth of yours and keeping out of fights then you will be asked to leave the team."

A pit had formed in Roxas' stomach and grew bigger and bigger with each word that his coach said. Roxas wet his lips, and even though he was afraid that his voice might crack he said, "You're kicking me off the team."

"Only, if the bad behavior continues. Coach Leonhart, the principal, your father, and I have talked it over and we feel like this is the best course of action to motivate you to reign in some of your more troubling choices of late."

Roxas bit his cheek hard to avoid saying something he would regret later. He could feel his nails digging into the palms of his hands from how hard he was clenching his fists.

"Roxas, if you need somebody to talk to, know that both my office and Coach Leonhart's office are always open. We want to see you rise to the top, and we are willing to help you achieve your best, but it is up to you to control your actions. Do you have anything you want to say to me?"

Roxas managed to mumble, "No sir." (Fuck yeah, you bastard!) But he was unable to look Coach Setzer in the eyes. Being kicked off the team would be like the end of his life. Roxas could see clearly the disappointed look that his father would give him. It would be like all of the other looks he was more prone to be given lately only this one would be a thousand times worse. "Can I go now?"

Coach Setzer observed him with sad eyes but with a baited breath he released Roxas back into the locker room.

* * *

It felt like electricity when the crowds cheered for him as he entered the ring. He searched the crowd for familiar faces and gave a waving Olette and Pence a grin when he spotted them. His father was there too; his face was obscured by dark sunglasses and a wooly scarf, and he was holding her hand. She leaned against his father and whispered into his ear. It was then that she spotted Roxas and gave him a maddeningly, wild wave. Roxas did not return it and shifted his eyes elsewhere. They landed on Namine whose perky boobs rose and fell as she bounced on her feet. Roxas could hear her cheering his name and so he sent her a wink. It was then that he noticed that standing a little off to Namine's right was Sora. The new kid was looking right at him and Roxas had difficulty swallowing a lump in his throat when their gazes met. Roxas quickly turned away and faced his opponent who was just entering the arena.

The crowd quieted as the announcer began the countdown for the match to begin.

Roxas took a deep breath and blocked out the world outside of the ring. His muscles itched with tension and his mind spoke one word, win.

* * *

Roxas reluctantly switched off the shower. The cold air instantly settled in and the light hairs on his arms rose. He nabbed his towel off the hook and wrapped himself in its warmth then walked quickly to his "new" locker to put on the suit his dad insisted that he wear to the restaurant tonight.

His teammates had already packed up their belongings and departed so Roxas had the locker room all to himself. The ceiling lights buzzed and the air felt stale and smelled somewhat like sweaty socks. It was even quieter than this morning when he had seen Sora and the other boy. Roxas dressed slowly knowing that his father and his father's girlfriend were waiting for him in the car.

After his match which he had won, of course, she had been cordial with his friends, and Olette, Pence, and Hayner all seemed to fall under her charms. Olette had elbowed him gently and whispered her approval in his ear, and Roxas had to swallow down his grumbles about his father's relationship.

Namine had also approached him and gave Roxas a big hug after his victory and praised him to the stars, but he had lost track of Sora in the departing crowd and for some reason he had to squash down a swell of disappointment. These strange, heated feelings that he had for the new kid and the model in the magazine were obviously flukes, Roxas reasoned with himself.

A sound almost like a low whine broke Roxas out of his thoughts. His hands which had been looping his belt through his pants stilled and he lifted his head to see a tall, white alien before him.

"What the…?"Roxas jerked back in surprise.

The alien did not react to Roxas' outburst. It stood as still as a statue, inhuman with its unnaturally warped body. It was leanly muscled with a narrow waist and painfully thin limbs, and its skin looked like shiny, white porous film. A strange mark that was a mix between a cross and a heart stood stark against its hooded head. He had an inkling that he had seen that symbol before. The alien's smile revealed jagged teeth peeking out beneath its hood and its fingers which looked to be as sharp as swords were nailed together.

This prank had Seifer written all over it. Roxas couldn't afford to pound that guy right now after his talk with Coach Setzer. Roxas's surveyed the locker room for any signs of the chicken wuss and trying to keep his cool he said, "Where did you find this guy? At a sci fi convention?"

Roxas approached the "alien" and reached out a hand to tug off the hood from the model's head. It was then that he noticed the others. He did a quick count and found that there were five of them, five identical "aliens" whose eyeless faces pointed towards him.

"Really Seifer? They don't even look real…"

The being before him lurched forward, its arm swiped through the air like a sword. Roxas wrenched his head to the side narrowly avoiding the blade like fingers aiming to severe his head from his body.

The alien's body barreled into his own and Roxas was knocked to the ground. Instinct told him to run but as Roxas was raising himself off the floor the aliens had circled him and cut off any means for a quick and clean escape.

Roxas's searched the enclosing circle for some sort of weakness but was having a hard time seeing past the aliens' daggered teeth. Their mouths were open and their sinuous bodies swayed ever closer as if hungering for his flesh.

Roxas knew he was dead. It was only a matter of time. Aliens had landed and somehow he had received the "lucky" lottery number to be a casualty in the first wave of attacks. They were going to devour him and…

One of the aliens screeched causing Roxas's ears to ring. The body of the alien that had rammed him to the ground sputtered and dissipated like smoke from a blown out candle. Standing where the alien had been less than a second before was the new kid wielding Roxas's struggle bat.

Sora didn't spare a glance at Roxas. He pivoted on his heel and swung the struggle bat into the head of the nearest alien. It shivered and dispersed like the first one. The others must have gotten over whatever shock they had for their companions' demise and sprang to attack. Sora dispatched them with the struggle bat as if they were mere cannon folder.

When the last of the aliens had fizzed into non-existence, Sora dropped the struggle bat like it was a mere piece of wood and crouched down next to Roxas.

"Are you hurt?" His voice was airy but rough. Oh god, and his eyes. Roxas had to look away from Sora's face. He felt his own cheeks inflame with embarrassment. Sora had taken out the aliens like they were nothing while Roxas could only cower on the floor. Some champ of the struggle team he was.

"I-what were those things?"Roxas managed to spit out.

"Shouldn't you be telling me? They were after you."


	2. Scene Two

**A Traitor's Gamble Cost Blood**

_Summary: Roxas is at war with the world. His relationship with his family is complicated and his relationships with his friends are healing. Roxas has secrets that he cannot admit to himself, but the new kid has secrets too, and his are deadly._

* * *

**Scene two:**

Roxas always figured that there had to be aliens somewhere in outer space. He held serious doubts about UFO sightings and abductions, but he believed that the great big unknown had to have life forms of some kind whether they possessed bulbous heads and green skin or were smaller than the naked eye could see. He just never expected to see an alien no less be attacked by a group of them.

"I think they were aliens," Roxas said and then frowned because it sounded even more ridiculous out loud than in his head. His eyes flicked back to Sora's face and he felt his heart drop a little at the other boy's blank look.

"Aliens," Sora repeated. He said the word like he was tasting it; trying to figure out if he should take another bite or not.

"They just appeared out of nowhere. Wait, you don't think that there could be more do you?" Roxas shot off the ground which caused Sora to snap back in surprise. He peeked around the corners of the lockers but found them empty.

"I think they're gone," Sora said. He was still crouched on the floor where Roxas had left him. "And you don't appear hurt, but-"

"Do you think that anybody else was attacked too?" Roxas could feel his stomach churning as he thought of his dad and his girlfriend waiting for him in the car.

Sora shrugged and it was neither reassuring nor affirming.

"I've got to check on my dad," Roxas said and he hoped his voice wasn't shaking as bad as his mind. He didn't wait for Sora's response as he was too overwhelmed. Roxas dashed out of the locker room, through the gym, and to the parking lot where one lonely car was waiting for him.

The street lamps lit up Roxas's way to the running car. Through the front window he could see his father's profile talking to the dolled up woman to his right. Roxas lifted a fist to knock on the driver's window, but his dad spotted him before he could do so.

The expression on his father's face changed from smooth relief to a pinched aggravation. His father rolled the window down releasing the low hum of a familiar radio tune into the outside air.

"Did you get lost in there? Hurry and get in the car," his dad's voice was a lot lighter than Roxas expected it to be but then again _she_ was sitting right there in the passenger seat.

"Dad, did you see any strange people wandering about?"

"No," his father said, and then his father's face was etched with apprehension. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am now, and I know that this might sound crazy, but while I was changing in the locker room I was cornered and then attacked by aliens".

"Roxas." All signs of concern leaked away from his father's face and an undiluted vexation was fixed in his father's eyes as he ordered, "Get in the car."

"But dad!"

"Now!"

"I can't. I have to get my stuff," Roxas shouted. Maybe if he found some piece of evidence his father would believe him.

Roxas ran back inside to the locker room. He found his stuff were he had left it. Only his struggle bat had been placed like a gift on top of his bag. There was no sign of any more aliens, and Roxas looked for him, but Sora was gone.

* * *

His father's girlfriend possessed just the right amount of sophistication to appear truly elegant in a restaurant that served less food but charged higher prices. Her long brown hair was swept up in an orderly knot, and her dress hugged her curves. She was glamorous and his father looked like a total dweeb sitting next to her in comparison. His best suit had seen better days and there was no helping his hair. Yet, neither his father nor the perfectly tailored princess seemed to realize.

They sat at a table meant for four with Roxas on one side and the two lovebirds on the other. The table was set with a white cloth and too many eating utensils for Roxas to keep track of. He sat as slouched in his chair as it would allow and aimed another kick at the table leg. Each time his foot connected, the water in their glasses shuddered. His father's girlfriend was trying to be really polite and not notice the rattling dishes, but his father was giving him undisguised glares. Roxas could tell that in a few more kicks that his father would snap, so Roxas kicked the table leg once again.

Here he was waiting for some snooty upper class meal when about an hour before he was almost a meal himself. The defeated aliens had disappeared leaving no trace of their attack and giving Roxas no solid proof of their existence but he could see their eyeless faces and carnivorous grins every time he closed his eyes. And he had just left Sora there. The new kid was going to think that he was some sort of ninny or something. That was not the kind of impression he wanted Sora to have of him. Especially not when Sora had vanquished the aliens like an avenging angel albeit one with a struggle bat in lieu of a flaming sword.

He hoped that Sora had left of his own choosing and not been abducted by alien back-up. Sora arrived after the school directory was published and Roxas didn't really know who Sora hung out with at school so he had no means of getting ahold of him. He would have to wait until tomorrow to find out.

It was no shocker that his father didn't believe him about the alien attack. Hell, even Roxas didn't believe what had happened and he had seen it with his own eyes! What hurt the most was that his father thought the alien story was some kind of shit to sabotage his date tonight. Like Roxas needed to rely on some stupid story to do that; his father was hopeless enough on his own.

_Really, how could two people not know they were incompatible_, Roxas sneered.

The next kick did it, and his father made a quick, sincere apology to her and then motioned for Roxas to follow him. His father led him to the men's room which actually was more like a series of rooms complete with a smiling man offering cologne and breath mints. The concierge gave a start at their abrupt entrance but averted his eyes as Roxas's father launched into his tirade.

"I've had enough of your attitude tonight," his father began. Roxas could tell by the vein pulsing on his father's forehead and the intensity pooling in his eyes that he was trying super hard not to let the storm of frustration overtake the clear and measured way he was speaking. "Tifa and I have been planning this for weeks. This time was meant for the two of you to get to know each other better, but you have been nothing but out right rude. She has been kind and has tried to initiate conversation with you the whole night. Roxas, stop sulking and get your act together and _try_ to get to know her."

"I don't want to." Roxas made sure to punctuate each word and returned a look that was just as fierce as his father's. "Why should I listen to you when you won't do the same for me! In the locker rooms, I was attacked-"

"Enough about this alien thing!" his father roared.

Roxas had to avert his gaze or risk witnessing some emotion in his father's eyes that would chew him up and spit him out. His eyes drifted to the only other occupant in the room. The concierge was looking at everything except them while tugging at the collar of his uniform as if it was too tight. Roxas wanted to be here even less than that sorry chump.

His father started speaking again and his voice was once more calm and controlled. "I want you to go back to the table like the young man I know is in there somewhere and apologize for your behavior. Then I want you to ask her about her day. If you don't do this Roxas so help me I am going to go insane."

_I'm sorry, and of course, _were the words right at the tip of his tongue, but what came out was, "Make me."

* * *

The evening ended early. She declined the invitation his father had put forth to stay the night but left his father with a "stiff leg" (much to Roxas's grief) from their parting kiss.

Inside the car, tension was high but it was deadly silent on the drive home with just him and his father. Once they arrived at the house, Roxas stormed up the stairs and into his room. He kicked off his dress shoes, whipped off his belt, and wrestled out of his jacket. Then he promptly collapsed on his bed and buried his head in his pillow.

His body was exhausted but his mind was on fire. He lay on the bed feeling sorry for himself for a few minutes more and then rolled off his covers and on to his feet. There was work to be done.

* * *

_There were thousands of them; sinuous, white bodies bent so unnaturally that if they had been human their bones would have bent the knee and cracked under the pressure. They all pointed with their bound sword like fingers to a dais where an empty throne sat shrouded in the shadows, and he knew they were telling him to approach it. _

_As he neared the throne it became clear that it was not made from stone, metal, or wood. The arms of the throne were human arms, long and pale. The seat was a stomach, broad and hairless supported by so many human legs that the throne reminded him of a centipede. The back of the chair was a young couple twisted together in death's embrace. Their mouths were open in a scream and he knew they had not died peacefully._

_He observed the throne in horror and fought down the urge to retch. It would not serve him well to show weakness. _

"_My gift to you," whispered a voice in the shadows._

_Behind the throne, a man materialized from the depths of darkness. He wore the shadows like a cloak and although he had silver hair his face was that of a young man. Contained within his gold eyes were treachery and a hunger for more blood._

"_Approach," he said smiling. "And take a seat on the ones who delivered your power."_

_The man advanced towards him and grasped his arm in a move that was akin to a striking snake. He could not shake the grip loose and was pulled towards the throne._

"_You must sit and claim all that you have bargained for."_

_Revulsion consumed his body but he could not yank free of the man's hold. He fought to release himself but the battle was already over and here he was standing over the sacrifices that had bought him his deepest desires. _

_And because he had no choice, he took a seat in the corpse chair._

Roxas awoke screaming in bed saturated by his own sweat. He quickly switched on the lamp resting on his bedside table. His eyes watered from the light but it was all he could do to measure out his own harsh breath.

* * *

Roxas suppressed another yawn. He had been up late last night scouring the internet for any hint of alien encounters that were like his own. His search had proved as unrewarding as the headlines in today's paper. Obviously he must be a magnet for needles in a haystack because nobody else was visited by otherworldly creatures last night.

It also didn't help that he had another nightmare. He would have stayed in the shower until the water ran cold if his dad hadn't hollered at him to get a move on.

Roxas was relieved that his father had to leave early for work. It saved him from enduring either an awkward silence or a heated debate during breakfast.

* * *

Roxas arrived at school early for like the first time in months. He hoped to run into Sora before classes began but had no such luck.

As he sat next to Hayner and Pence in homeroom, Roxas toyed with the idea of telling them about his alien encounter. It was unlikely that either of them would believe him as he didn't have any evidence that would persuade them. Before school started he had told Olette about what happened in the locker room that night and she had laughed and called him weird. He was sure that if he mentioned aliens to Hayner or Pence that they would crack some joke about him being probed. Just hearing their laughter in his head was enough to dissuade him from making the alien thing into well a _thing._

It wasn't until history class that he got his chance to approach the new kid.

He was almost about to believe that Sora had been abducted by aliens until the other boy walked into the classroom. Roxas excused himself to Namine who had been carrying on a one sided conversation with him and approached Sora as he was sitting down at a desk.

Sora's eyes caught Roxas's and he couldn't help but marvel at their beauty and the clear intelligence that rested there. The new kid had on a dark red hoodie jacket which was unzipped far enough that Roxas could see that Sora was wearing a necklace with many glass beads.

"We need to talk," Roxas said.

Sora didn't hesitate a beat when he said, "Agreed, I would say right after school but you have one very hot date with Mr. Vexen in detention."

Roxas laughed and he felt some of the tension in his shoulders ease. "Yeah, I guess I do. It wouldn't be in my best interest to stand him up either seeing as we kind of got a thing going on."

"Well, meet me around 7'o clock at Woodland park. You can find me in the south side close to the rose garden."

"Alright, class to your seats. Let's get started," Mr. Vexen droned as he wheeled in an overhead projector that must have seen the dawn of the dinosaurs.

"That's a deal," Roxas told Sora before heading to his seat.

* * *

During detention, the clock on the wall seemed to run on another time schedule. Seconds ticked by slower than they had any right to and minutes dragged on for centuries. There was nothing worse than watching the clock during detention so Roxas titled his head to the side to spy out the window.

He had a perfect view of the other students dashing for the freedom only the final school bell on a Friday can give. It was interesting what people did when they thought no one was looking; he caught Rai picking his nose when Fuu's back was turned, and witnessed a freshman ogling Namine's boobs then totally wipeout on the stairs.

Roxas's eye caught on a flash of red. It was Sora cutting across the grass. He was walking with a purpose, and when he stopped a little bit left of the flagpole it became clear as to why. Casually standing with his hands in his pants' pockets was the upperclassman. With the better light, Roxas could see the upperclassman's face clearer. It was not a face he recognized which wouldn't be entirely odd if the guy wasn't so good looking.

The school grounds were too loud and Roxas was too far away to hear what Sora and the upperclassman conversed about, but hell he wanted to know even if it was trivial. He watched as they departed side by side and noted that they did not hold hands while they walked. Roxas wondered if they were keeping their relationship a secret. Neither of them had asked Roxas to keep his mouth shut about what he saw and when he talked to Sora during class the other made no mention about the locker room incident. Still, the way they walked together was more like two associates than a pair of lovers.

After the school grounds had cleared out for the day, Roxas's gaze wandered from the window to the teacher who had won detention duty today, Mr. Vexen. The man muttered to himself while grading papers and would occasionally get up from his chair to circle the imprisoned students stuck in detention but he did so like a zombie.

While Mr. Vexen never looked entirely put together, today he appeared a bit worse for the wear. He didn't even reprimand Roxas for etching a penis on the table of his desk and released Roxas and the other detained students a whole twenty minutes earlier from detention.

* * *

Roxas found Sora reclined like a king on a park bench eating a deli sandwich. Sitting on the ground beside the bench was a coke which Sora took a sip of before giving Roxas a lazy wave. Roxas thought that Sora looked way too peaceful considering just yesterday they had encountered aliens.

Roxas stopped in front of Sora and couldn't help but notice how his shadow covered the sun warming Sora's face.

"Have a seat." Sora patted the vacant spot on the bench beside him. "I'm just finishing up dinner."

"Not eating at home with your family?" Roxas questioned as he moved to claim the seat that was offered.

"We haven't done that in a long time." Sora gobbled up the last bite of his sandwich and then wiped his hands off on the knees of his jeans.

"Have you told anybody?" Roxas asked. He didn't know why but for some reason he felt completely at ease. Perhaps it was nice to finally be able to talk to someone who wouldn't dismiss his words.

"One. Riku." And then, said a little bit more hesitantly, "He's kind of like a friend of mine."

"I told my father, but he didn't believe me. Not surprising really. I hardly believe what I saw myself."

"It was real. They would have harmed you if you had not been so quick."

"It was you who saved me,"Roxas acknowledged. "Thank you for that."

"I'm just glad you're not hurt." There was real emotion in Sora's eyes as he said this, and Roxas was touched.

"I thought I was on my own back there. It happened so fast. I keep replaying it over and over and all I can think of is why me?" This was a question Roxas had been asking himself over and over even though he knew that he was unlikely to get an answer.

"You should be careful; they may attack again."

"There is no way of telling if they will be back again," Roxas sighed. "I wanted to ask, why were you there last night?"

"Mr. Leonhart is my gym teacher and he told me that I should try out for the team. He invited me to watch a match, and well, I like what I saw. You know, you look amazing out there Roxas. You're so driven and focused when you play." Sora smiled when he said the last part, and Roxas felt his whole body heat up. He hoped that his face wasn't screaming red. "Anyways, I stayed after the game hoping that I could chat with Mr. Leonhart before he left and that's when I saw you going head to head with those things."

"For what it counts, I think you have a pretty good chance at making the team with how you were taking out aliens left and right,"Roxas said. And it was true. Sora had taken those aliens out like he had been born to do so. _He must have played some other sport before._

Sora took another sip from his coke. Roxas couldn't help but notice how Sora's cheeks hollowed when he sucked on the straw.

"Do you want some?"Sora asked innocently. Roxas received the offered drink and took a sip. The coke was still cold and tasted better than the last one he had.

"Why do you think they were aliens?" Sora asked him as Roxas handed his drink back.

"It was the first thing that popped into mind." Roxas shrugged. "I really don't know what they are."

"To me they looked like some sort of demon."

"Demons like from the keyblade war?"Roxas wondered. Ancient texts alluded to an army of demons being a key factor in ending the rebellion. However, the demons were only a myth. It was the countless lives of poor soldiers and farmers who fought in the war not demons.

"Yeah, I guess Mr. Vexen's lectures are just fresh in my mind."Sora shrugged and sipped from his coke some more.

For some reason Roxas felt the mood seem to shift and he noticed for the first time that there were dark circles around Sora's downcast eyes. There was something troubling Sora but Roxas was having trouble forming the words in which to inquire about it.

A silence had past so Roxas felt it prudent to clear his throat before asking, "So, who is this Riku guy? Did he believe you about the aliens or demons or whatever?"

"Riku is Riku. He's basically one of a kind. But yes, yes he did believe me."

"That must be nice to have somebody who would trust you like that."

"It doesn't really have to do with trust." Sora smiled but it wasn't like the one he had shown before when complementing Roxas on his game. If Roxas didn't know any better, he would say that this smile looked fake. "He is kind of a weird guy himself."

"Oh, how so?"

"His mannerisms and all that. I mean he doesn't act entirely human."

"He sounds interesting. I sort of want to meet him."

"You kind of already have."

"Is he that guy you were with in the locker room?"Roxas guessed.

"Yeah, I was wondering when you were going to ask me about that,"Sora chuckled somewhat nervously. He brought a hand up to his neck and started rolling some of the beads of his necklace between his fingers. "I'm sorry you saw that. I think it must have thrown you through a loop or something what with telling Mr. Vexen to suck your dick and all, but what you saw yesterday morning just forget about it."

"Believe me, I'm trying to," Roxas said and hoped that it didn't sound like he was lying. Well, he did want to forget. Just not the part where Sora was on his knees in front of his locker…oh, who was he kidding? "So, is that Riku guy your boyfriend?"

"Ha! No, it's more like we have a business deal. You see, we both get something out of it." There was a cautious question in Sora's eyes when he said this.

"That's unromantic. I mean and pardon me for saying this but it sounds like one of you is a whore or something."Inwardly, Roxas cursed at himself. Here comes another case of talking without thinking. He better get himself checked into the hospital before the symptoms turn deadly.

"I guess, I kind of am." Sora spoke lowly. The roughness of his voice was apparent.

Roxas knew that his mouth was hanging open in shock but he was surprised at the pool of anger drumming in his chest. He didn't expect Sora to claim ownership to something like that. Sora warranted more than just some bang for your buck. Roxas glared fiercely into Sora's eyes and stated firmly, "You deserve more than that. You deserve better than him."

"You're sweet to say so." Sora smiled and gently squeezed Roxas's fingers in his hand. He let go of Roxas's hand all too soon and said, "It's getting pretty late out."

"Yeah, I should get going." Sora wasn't wrong the sun had gone down and the last traces of light were fading into darkness. Roxas took out his phone and checked the time. He was surprised to see that two hours had passed since he had sat down to talk to Sora. Roxas thought fast and then said, "We should hangout tomorrow. I could show you some moves from struggle and give you something to really impress coach Leonhart with."

"You'd be alright hanging out with _some whore or something_?" Sora asked and the tone of his voice implied a challenge.

Roxas visibly winced. "I'm sorry about that. It's just the way you were implying your relationship…"

Sora shook his head and gave Roxas a charming smile that sent a jolt to his chest. "I would love to hangout with you."

Love. He said love like some girl, but the word felt good, it felt right and Roxas could feel his cheeks flush and couldn't fight down the excitement in his voice when he said, "Good, then I'll meet you here tomorrow afternoon."

"Done," Sora said and then his mouth curved into a smile as stunning as his eyes. Roxas turned and was grateful that if Sora was watching he would only be seeing Roxas's back and not the anticipation causing the red on his face. He thought of Namine's boobs until the heat had left his body.

* * *

_A/n: I'm going to write guest reviews at the end of chapters because I have no other way to respond to them. I'm really interested in what intrigues you or what predictions or reactions you have. :D_

_Guest Reviews:_

_Choco: I love reading about your wonderings. The mysterious upperclassman's identity is revealed! Seifer likes to cause trouble; lets just hope that Roxas can stay out of it. Thank you for reviewing. :)_

_Queen Weirdo: Haha, I do love cliffhangers, but I'll try not using them for every chapter. I'm glad you love it! I hope the next chapters live up to the first._


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